Luke swallowed and shook his head. "That ain't love Jaime...I'm sorry...but it ain't."

Jaime shuddered a little and stood up, hurrying over to the ladder.

"No...she does! I'll prove it, I'll go back! You'll see...Mom loves me..."

Luke took hold of her. "No...you ain't going back there...listen all those times you read minds...did you ever read hers?"

Jaime struggled against Luke's grip a little, shaking her head

"No! I didn't need to! She loves me...she's my mom...she has to love me..."

"People that love ya don't hurt ya Jaime..." said Luke.

Eventually she stopped struggling and dissolved into childish sobs again as the power of Luke's words hit her hard. No one else's mom kept them locked in basements...no one elses mum made her hide her wrists from everyone....did her mom actually hate her...

Luke held her close, kissing the top of her head, letting her cry, wiping his own eyes as she did.

After a while, there were no more tears left for Jaime to cry and for the first time in her life that she could remember, she fell asleep in the arms of someone who would protect her...who liked her for who she was.

Luke held her as she cried herself to sleep, the protective urge coming over him just as it did with Bo... no one would hurt either one of them again if Luke had anything to say about it.

Jaime continued to sleep in Luke's arms, head resting against his strong chest. She was small for her 13 year old age, and thin, pale having got little to no sunlight over the years.

Luke held her gently, humming a little as she slept, at the same time trying to think how to rescue Bo.

Jaime slept a little restlessly through the night, murmuring in her sleep. However Luke was always there to soothe her, being roused from light sleep in occasion to soothe the young girl from her nightmares.

Luke didn't sleep that night, too consumes by his thoughts and the tiny girl in his lap suffering from nightmares. Another started taking over and Luke ntly hugged her. "I'm her Jaime... sleep darlin...you're safe."

Jaime settled as soon as she felt the soothing touches and the calming voice. Soon the nightmares died down and she settled into proper sleep.

Luke stayed quiet stroking her hair as she slept.

Jaime didn't rise till mid morning the next morning, stirring gently and sitting up, stretching gently as she looked around.

Luke was climbing the ladder, handing her a handful of wild berries. "Breakfast."

Jaime took them softly, looking them over before eating a few, swallowing them down gently.

Luke sat watching her eat. "Jaime...we gotta get Bo an go home...so we can get started...with the legalities.."

Jaime looked to him with a small frown, swallowing her mouthful before asking.

"L...Legailities?"

Luke nodded. "I been thinking...there's no way in Hell I'm gonna let you go back to that place...you'd be safe with us...with me.."

Jaime looked to him, shaking her head, still not understanding what he was talking about.

"I'm gonna adopt you... if they let me..."

Jaime's mouth fell open a little way as she just stared at Luke. After a while she swallowed and looked away, saying quietly.

"What about Mom..."

Luke swallowed. "Maybe she can get help...or somethin..but you don't deserve what she done to you Jaime...ou don't!"